Episode 52: Earwig and the Witch (2021)

This week we review Earwig and the Witch from Studio Ghibli. In the film, a headstrong orphan discovers a world of spells and potions while living with a selfish witch.

Earwig and the Witch aims to continue Studio Ghibli's tradition of pushing the boundaries of animation and storytelling. While the gets close, it feels unfinished. Directed by Gorô Miyazaki, written by Keiko Niwa and Emi Gunji, and produced by studio co-founder Toshio Suzuki, with planning from Hayao Miyazaki, the film is based on the novel of the same name by Diana Wynne Jones, the author behind the source material for Howl’s Moving Castle.